Editor’s Note: Welcome to “Feel Rich,” our partnership with QD3, the talented son of music legend Quincy Jones. “Feel Rich” is all about creating a healthy lifestyle for Hip-Hop culture – both the artists and the fans. Enjoy!

A letter and video from Joe:

Many of us are addicted to food but don’t know it.

Just like any addiction, food addiction can be extremely hard to kick. Especially when you can get high for just 50 cents at the corner store. It’s perfectly legal to go to a store at any age and buy a Twinkie, Snickers, potato chips, whatever your poison. In the urban community, we often show our love through food. The more you love someone, the more food you give them. Food is everywhere. If that’s your addiction, it can be really hard to fight.

One of the most destructive food addictions is to carbohydrates (carbs): bread, potatoes, pasta, and rice. Most people seem to believe that if you don’t have carbs with your meal you won’t have enough energy or you won’t feel full. This is a huge misconception. You don’t need a lot of carbs in your diet. One of the main reasons I lost weight is because I cut most carbs out of my diet, and of course, I started exercising.

The kind of exercise you do is up to you. If you’re a big person like me, chances are you don’t want to go to the gym with your cock diesel friend for your first time. They might work you out too hard. If you do what they do, chances are you’ll be sore for two weeks or you could injure yourself.

Walking is probably the best exercise, because anyone can do it and it’s cheap. No excuse if you don’t have a gym—walk around the block. Believe it or not, chances are if you exercise on a regular basis, you will become addicted to working out. It’s a whole different high—a good high. Natural high.

I started losing weight for health reasons. Too many of my friends were dying. But, though I started losing for health, now I just love the way I look and feel, and the fact that statistics say I’ll live longer by staying healthy. I tell kids all the time: you go to high school to prepare for college. You also have to prepare your body at a young age for life. When I talk to kids in school and ask if they or their parents have diabetes, almost 75 to 80 of them say yes. That’s why it’s so important to teach kids the importance of healthy eating from a young age. Diabetes can cause blindness, kidney failure, and can lead to amputation and even death.

When we’re young we feel invincible. But before you know it, you’re within harm’s reach. I lost one of my best friends, Big Pun, to a heart attack when he was only 27 years old. He was a funny, charismatic, loyal, talented genius. The world lost out on such a special person leaving us so soon. We’ve all lost people we love too soon. Now is the time to do something about it. Like Michelle Obama says, it’s time for change. You can do it. Health is the new wealth. Live rich.

Sincerely,

FAT JOE

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